Tomopop Review: Kotobukiya's Cryska Barchenowa

If there's one thing you should know about me, it's that I'm a fan of glossy butts. Characters in sci-fi anime often need to get into skin-tight body suits to do something or other, so I get plenty of opportunities to see shiny butts as a figure collector and anime watcher. Lucky!

One such opportunity was afforded to me when Kotobukiya sent over this 1/7-scale Cryska Barchenowa figure. It's the "Eishi Strengthening Equipment" version, meaning you'll be seeing a really shiny derriere!

Cryska hails from Muv-Luv Alternative Total Eclipse. I haven't seen the show, but I've read that it's about mankind being locked in a (losing) war against aliens. The summary kind of sounds like Strike Witches though I'm sure it's not that similar. Cryska comes from the show's Soviet Union, although her design doesn't bear much resemblance to an actual Russian...

I rather like the design of the box. It's nothing fancy, but I like the sunset look of the background.

A few extras are packed in: a pistol, the base, and a few loose pieces of rubble. The only "assembly" you have to do is to slide the pistol into Cryska's left hand. Using the base is completely optional as she'll sit up just fine without it. Kotobukiya has been using rubble-themed bases for several of their 1/7-scale figures, so Cryska would fit right in with them.

Here is that promised backside. The design of her suit serves to emphasize the shape of her butt. It actually looks like she'd be walking around with the worst wedgie ever.

We shouldn't ignore the good work Kotobukiya did for Cryska's front side. Her facial expression is kind of vacant, but they have done a nice job sculpting it. I like the way it's framed by the hair too. Most of all, I like that Cryska's chin strap... thing... does not look awkward at all. It was kind of distracting on the Yui Takamura figure, but on Cryska it blends into the rest of the suit much better.

The suit is very well detailed, though that can get overshadowed by Cryska's bust. Her breasts look almost like actual melons. The suit design accentuates this part of her body as well.

I don't have much to complain about other than this seam in her hair, which is present on many figures. Hair styles that are smooth on top are susceptible to this simply due to the way figures are assembled.

Cryska's lone accessory is her pistol, which I'd assume is a Makarov given her Soviet affiliation. DayZ fans should have fond memories of the little trooper. It's pretty well detailed here. I lamented in my Vash the Stampede review that his revolver didn't look very good, but I'm happy with the way Kotobukiya handled all the fine detailing for this Cryska figure.

Can you describe a woman's stomach as "charming?" Thanks to the skin-tight suit, we can see the contours of Cryska's belly and navel. You can also see how clean the lines are between the contrasting light and dark areas. The light areas are extra-glossy, whereas the other parts of the suit have more of a satin sheen.

Kotobukiya has done a fine job with this Cryska figure, and I feel that the manufacturing quality matches the price point. I don't have any sentimental attachment to the character, so I probably wouldn't have bought this on my own. For Muv-Luv Alternative fans and admirers of Cryska's, though, this figure is sure to be a winner.